Old Wounds
by JaggerK
Summary: This story is in honour of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness Month. A case brings up old memories for Selina putting her on edge and overprotective of Dick. When things take a turn for the worst it's Bruce whose protective instincts go into overdrive. Selina/Bruce pairing. Rated T for Mature themes suggestion only.
1. Old Wounds

_This story was inspired by two requests. Princess of Flames informed me that it was Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Awareness Month. She requested that I write something in honour of that. As we're aware Selina didn't have the best childhood in the East End of Gotham. I allude to some of that in my story 'Nightmare'. I also had a request – I apologize I can't find you in my messages – for the story on how Selina got shot. As it happens, they go together. I hope I do them justice for you._

THE BATCAVE

"I don't want him in involved in this. What's happening to these women, these children, he doesn't need to be touched by that!" The voice carried easily from one end of the Batcave to where Dick sat huddled in his cape on the stairs leading up to Wayne Manor. "Keep him out of it!"

There was a rumbled answer with the words indistinguishable. The other voice lowered and the boy couldn't hear any more of the conversation. Alfred descended the stairs behind him and sat down, offering him the plate of cookies. Dick simply shook his in refusal. Alfred followed Dick's gaze across to the far side of the Cave where Selina and Bruce stood arguing.

"Why is she mad at me?" Dick's voice was miserable.

"Oh, Master Dick, Miss Selina isn't mad at you." Alfred tried to reassure him. At that moment, Selina slid her cowl back on, mounted her bike, and roared out of the Cave. Bruce watched her go and then turned to walk to Dick and Alfred.

Dick looked up at Bruce when he stopped in front of them and asked his question in the same miserable voice. "Why is she mad at me?"

"She isn't mad at you, Dick." Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "It's the case. She just doesn't want you near it."

"Doesn't she think I can do my job?" The boy pouted.

"It isn't that. She knows you can do your job." Bruce paused. "Sometimes adults get twisted up about stuff. Maybe this time Selina shouldn't be on the case. Or at least she needs to take a step back. She's in a lot of pain. Do you understand?" Dick nodded slowly. "Good. Go take your shower and get ready for bed."

SELINA KYLE'S PENTHOUSE

Robin slipped easily into Selina's the way he had been taught. He'd gone to bed after his shower and pretended to be asleep when Alfred, then Bruce, checked on him. It had been excruciating waiting until he had felt enough time had passed he could safely slip back down into the Cave and change back into his uniform.

"What are you doing here, little bird?" Selina's voice drifted out of the darkness. She hadn't called him kitten and that could be a bad sign.

"I, I wanted to see you." He whispered. He located her sitting on the couch, Isis on her lap. He moved forward slowly towards her.

"So you slipped out after hours into the city? Without permission?" She caught the slight tensing of his shoulders. "The Big Bad Bat isn't going to be happy. Neither is Agent A."

"I know." Dick swallowed hard. "This is more important."

"Why's that?" Selina inquired.

"You're mad at me."

"Oh, baby, I'm not mad at you." Selina sighed. "It's complicated."

"Because you're in pain." Dick wedged himself into the small space between Selina and the arm of the couch. "Maybe I can help."

Selina looked down at the innocent face that had never had any reason not to trust the adults who were supposed to love him to not betray him. He snuggled in closer to her side. "Yes, little bird, maybe you can. Are you staying?"

"I brought my pajamas." He grinned up at her.

"Smart kitten." She chuckled.

She got him settled into her bed, curled up with Isis. He dropped promptly off to sleep. After a few moments of watching him, she pulled out her cell and called Bruce's. It stayed at his bedside she knew and he would answer the ringtone he had programmed for her.

"Selina?" The voice on the other end wasn't groggy at all.

"Hi." Her own voice was soft. "I have something that belongs to you."

"What?"

"Your little bird flew the coop." There was a slight chuckle in her voice. "He wanted to make me feel better. He even brought his pajamas so he could spend the night."

"He brought his pajamas." The sentence was spoken slowly. "I'll be damned. He's quite the kid."

"He really is. Thanks for sharing him." Selina paused. "Bruce." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry. This case….it's really hitting home."

"I know. You're not alone you know." Bruce's tone brightened. "As for the other, he's apparently not giving me much choice."

"No, apparently not." She smiled at the sleeping boy. "He's fine here. Asleep before his head hit the pillow."

Dick awoke curled around Isis. He and the cat both stretched. He grinned at Isis. "I guess we should go find Selina and see if we can get some breakfast." He climbed out of the big bed with the cat following him.

As he neared the kitchen he heard Selina talking to someone. He paused uncertainly.

"It isn't the same for me as it is for you and Dick." She was saying. "If someone offered you one of your parents back you would never be able to choose. I would have traded my father's life for my mother's in a heartbeat."

What could be so bad about Selina's father that she would want him dead? He was starting to understand that what was driving Selina on this case wasn't the same need to help the missing women and children that he and Bruce had. Dick felt a little sick to his stomach.

"He's gone and he can't hurt you anymore." Dick heard Bruce's voice.

"I know that. There's just so many like him out there, too many. We have to find them, Bruce, soon. Not all of them will be strong enough to recover." Isis chose that moment to announce their presence. "Isis." Selina cleared her throat. "Dick? Are you up? Bruce decided to join us for breakfast. I'm making waffles."

Dick made his way cautiously into the kitchen. Selina was smiling at him brightly but it didn't reach her eyes. He could see the strain. Bruce gestured at him with his coffee cup and frowned.

"Sneaking out of the house at all hours is not the way to keep Alfred happy. I'm not pleased either." Dick looked at the floor and fiddled with the hem of his pajama top. Bruce frowned even deeper internally. He was wearing his Superman pajamas. Was he never going to outgrow the infernal things? Or did Alfred keep buying him new ones? He'd blame it on Selina given her warped sense of humour if she didn't have such a contentious relationship with Clark.

"I'm sorry." The boy looked up at Bruce suddenly defiant. "You would have said no and Selina needed me."

Selina crossed the kitchen and rested her palm on the boy's cheek. "Brave little kitten." She murmured. "From now on you stay snug in your bed unless you have permission. It can be dangerous even for Robin to be out alone at night. Understood?" Dick nodded. "Good. Let's breakfast together almost like we're normal people and then you can face Alfred's wrath."


	2. Bullet Wounds

GOTHAM DOCKS

NIGHT

Catwoman stood on the roof of the abandoned warehouse watching the one across from it. Robin was beside her, his young eyes scanning the dark. She still didn't want him here, touched by the filth in the building below them, but he had refused to be left out of a chance to help other children. Innocent children lost in the city that he so easily could have been one of if Bruce hadn't taken him.

A small shudder ran through her body. Batman stepped up behind her, closer than he needed to be, touching her, as if to offer some comfort and support. She would receive her comfort when the animals below were in jail; when the women and children they sought to sell to the highest bidder were safe.

"Everyone's in place." Batman spoke lowly. "We'll go on my mark."

"Hold." A voice crackled through the com they were sharing with GCPD. "There is a car inbound to your position. It's moving fast."

They heard the car and saw it a second later. It fish tailed to a stop in the parking lot of the warehouse they were watching. The driver leapt from the vehicle and ran into the building. There was silence and everyone held their breaths. Then yelling started from the warehouse, followed by a gunshot, and women and children screaming.

"Go! Go now!" Batman shouted. Jim Gordon's similar orders to his men were echoed through the com. Batman leapt off the taller building feet first his cape unfurled. He crashed through a glass section of the warehouse roof. It was an impressive entrance. The gang of human traffickers scattered. Catwoman and Robin landed on the ground beside him. Members of GCPD came in through various doorways.

The fight was dirty and nasty. Catwoman liked them that way. She flipped, kicked, and punched her way through the room. The women and children were in a separate area only guarded by a few traffickers and officers had been assigned to get them out. It shouldn't have taken them long to evacuate the room and get the civilians to safety.

She glanced to her left and grinned as the Boy Wonder propelled himself off the shoulders of one bad guy who was already going down and used the momentum to kick another solidly in the head. Robin's joyful laughter rang out through the sounds of close quarters fighting. Catwoman almost laughed with him but even in all the chaos something caught her eye.

A man stood with a gun raised and aimed at Robin. He had a painfully clear line of sight. The decision was made almost before her mind had time to process it. There was no way to reach the gunman before the trigger was pulled but she might, through the intervention of a God she hadn't prayed to in a long time but was begging now, get to Robin.

She was leaping, flying through the air, grabbing Robin's small body and covering it with her own. She never heard the gunshots. The white hot pain of the impact was all the proof she needed that they had hit her body as she crashed to the floor with her little bird, her kitten tucked safely in front of her. There was an almost inhuman roar that she knew came from Batman. Then the numbness began to wash over her body, pushing the pain away. The world became disjointed with muted sounds and she started to fade.

As the cops around them hauled the last of the conscious traffickers out of the warehouse in cuffs, Batman and Jim Gordon swooped toward the two still figures on the floor. As they approached there was movement and Robin crawled out from under Catwoman. He looked confused for a moment and then stared down at the bleeding woman beside him.

"No. No!" Jim couldn't see the boy's eyes behind the lenses but his face was frantic when he looked up at Batman. He wasn't sure what Catwoman's tie was to the two crimefighters but she was important to them both. He had seen Robin with her when Batman had brought her to GCPD to present her evidence about this case. The boy had been protective.

"Are you hurt?" Batman asked as he knelt beside Catwoman. The boy shook his head and looked back down. "Catwoman? Catwoman, can you hear me?"

The wounded woman mumbled something. Kitten? She was talking about kittens now? Jim thought.

"I'm okay! You saved me." Robin responded. Catwoman didn't answer him. "Please don't. Don't leave me. I can't do this again. We need you. Please."

Jim watched tears drip from under the boy's mask and on to Catwoman's face. The boy had clearly suffered loss before. "EMT is on their way in." He murmured to Batman. "We'll get her into the first ambulance heading out."

The distinctive roar of the Batmobile's engine could be heard pulling up outside. Batman moved to gather Catwoman up in his arms. "We have our own doctor." He stood and Robin followed. He looked down at the boy. "She'll be fine. Let's get her into the car."


	3. Healing Wounds

WAYNE MANOR

GOTHAM CITY

Selina stood outside Dick's slightly ajar bedroom door and raised her hand to knock. She stopped herself when she heard his voice on the other side.

"It's like he's scared, Wally." Dick paused. It had been good for Dick when Barry and Ollie had gained young partners. Particularly so since Ollie had never held her criminal side against her and Barry let it all go when she did. It meant Dick had friends he could talk to about the real things in his life. "I know that's crazy, Wally. I know who we're talking about. He still won't let me go out with him, not since…..that night." There was silence in the room. "Selina's doing great. She's been sparring with me and getting stronger every day. She wanted to spar with him today, just light stuff she said, but he avoided her. I think, Wally, I'm worried he's never letting either of us go back out again."

Selina stepped back from the door. She was off her game. Getting shot multiple times in the back and almost dying would do that to you. It hadn't occurred to her that Bruce was preventing Dick from going out. The only thing between the Boy Wonder and those bullets had been her and his Kevlar. It had to have affected the boy. She'd talked to Dinah about it. Dinah felt that since Dick was willing to continue to train and spar, also that he talked about being up on the rooftops with Selina he might be staying home to provide her with incentive to work harder. Dick wouldn't go out until Selina could which meant that Selina was denying him his passion of flying as Robin.

Selina's eyes narrowed. Turned out they were wrong. Bruce thought he could keep the little bird at home, did he? Well, they would just see about that. They'd also talk about him making decisions for her because she had a sneaking suspicion that Dick was right about him locking them both in the Cave.

BATCAVE

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Bruce stepped out of the shower room with his hair damp wearing loose cotton pants and a t-shirt. The chair at the Batcomputer slowly turned around to face him with Selina sitting in it.

"What are you doing up at this hour? You should be resting." She didn't answer him. She rose slowly from the chair and walked seductively across the open floor towards him. "Oh, well, maybe we both have a little energy left in us."

Less than a foot from him she sent her fist sailing toward his nose. Clearly startled, he still grabbed her wrist and spun her around. Using the momentum she carried her body closer into his and flipped him over her. He landed on the hard floor of the Cave. Without pausing she landed on top of him. Before she could get any further he grabbed her waist and started to roll over. Bruce got part way into the roll, stopped, and flopped over on to his back pulling her with him.

"Selina! Are you okay? I wasn't thinking!" Bruce's hands roamed her back as if checking for injuries.

"Dammit Bruce!" Selina slammed the flats of both hands into his chest. "I'm fine. I'm not a china doll. Stop treating me as if I am!" She jumped up and walked away a few feet.

Bruce cautiously got up watching her as one might a wild animal. "You were shot." He said slowly.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." She spit sarcastically.

"Really? Because I did!" He spit back. "You almost died! If you hadn't taken those bullets it would have been Dick!"

"So you're going to do what?" She challenged. "Never let us run a rooftop again?"

"If it keeps you both safe and alive I'll lock you both up in this Cave forever!" He roared at her.

She was genuinely stunned. He was serious.

"You know, for all Leslie's hard work I don't know that I could have made it back. It would have been so much easier at any point to just let go but you asked me to come back, Bruce. In the vague patches of memories I remember that. You can't ask me to come back and never fly again, never dance across a rooftop again. It isn't who I am. It isn't who Dick is." She gestured to the case where Dick's uniform sat waiting. "That's who we are. It's who you need us to be." She moved in to stand against him as she spoke. Bruce's arms curled around her.

"Would it have been worth it?" He whispered.

"Are you asking me if it would have been worth it to die saving those women and children or to die saving Dick?" Selina leaned her head on his shoulder. "I think you know the answer to the second. To the first, yes. There was no one to save me. I had to save myself so if I had to give my life to save theirs I could be okay with that. Not, you know, my first choice but it would be worth it and maybe make up for some past sins along the way."

"I don't know if I can let you go back out there again." He hesitated. "Either of you."

"We're really not going to give you a choice. We are who we are. This is what we do." She flashed a smile at him. "If you don't cooperate I'll just take Dick and move to Metropolis."

"You're going to move to Metropolis?" He chuckled slightly. "You really don't like him, do you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Selina smirked.

"I trust, Miss Selina, that I will be included in this move to Metropolis?" Alfred's voice floated down the staircase.

The couple turned and watched him descend with Dick.

"You would leave me, Alfred?" Bruce was shocked.

"If you behave in such a fashion that forces Miss Selina to leave and take the young Master with her I will find myself with no other option." Alfred said blandly. "I told you quite plainly three days ago that Miss Selina was cleared to begin sparring with you. Telling you rather than her gave you the chance to make up for your avoiding assisting in her rehabilitation. You did nothing. Today after I told her, she requested that you spar with her. Yet again you avoided her. I find myself disappointed in your behaviour."

Bruce gaped at Alfred. Dick stepped up and Bruce looked down at him.

"I'll do it. I'll go with her wherever she wants. So we can fly again." Dick straightened his shoulders and stared Bruce straight in the eye. Selina's brave little kitten, Bruce thought. "Don't do this. We should all be here together. We should all be out there together."

"Selina almost died. You could have been shot." Bruce looked from Dick to Alfred to Selina. "Why does no one seem to understand that?"

"We all understand that Master Bruce." Alfred responded calmly. "We just aren't letting it stop us. Master Dick's Kevlar would have protected him. If you are concerned about that we'll strengthen it. As for Miss Selina, it's time she had a uniform redesign."

Selina had been smiling at Alfred while she leaned on Bruce. She straightened up and stared at the butler. "Hey, now."

"Time to let go of the past completely, my dear." Alfred smiled at her softly. "It was useful for what it was but you need something that will ease his mind a bit more."

"A compromise as it were." She muttered.

"Exactly." Alfred nodded. "I think we'll all feel better knowing that there is more than just leather and latex between you and whatever is thrown at you."

"I haven't agreed to any of this." There was a vague hint of desperation in Bruce's tone.

"You're still not getting this." There was laughter in Selina's voice. "We outnumber you three to one." She rested her hand on his cheek. "I tell you what. I'll let you do the initial design on the new uniform. You can add all your fun gadgets if you want but remember – I'm not Batgirl or Batwoman or Batwhatever. I'm still me, I'm still Catwoman. I'll also need to be able to move like me _and_ I get final say. You have until Alfred and Leslie clear me for duty for it to be ready then Robin, me, and what better be a very cool, stylish uniform head to the rooftops."

"You will also begin your regular routine of sparring with Miss Selina tomorrow, Master Bruce." Alfred looked at him pointedly. "She needs to be in fighting trim."

Selina patted his cheek and she left him to start up the stairs with Dick. Bruce stood staring up at her.

"What just happened?" He asked of no one in particular. Alfred smiled fondly at the man he considered his son and answered him anyway.

"I think some people call that a 'family meeting'."


	4. Epilogue

Jim Gordon stood waiting next to the lit Batsignal. It had been weeks since there had been any sightings of either Robin or Catwoman. All Gotham had seen was a more brutal than usual Batman. Not so brutal that the woman had died, Jim figured, just not as controlled as he usually was with the bright bird at his side. There was no telling what had happened to her with the kind of damage she had taken from the bullets. She could be in a coma, paralyzed, anything.

The image of her falling with Robin in her arms, the impact of the bullets jerking her body, Batman's scream of rage; none of it would ever leave his mind. The seemingly endless moments before either of them could get to the fallen pair. The breath of relief when the Boy Wonder had crawled out from under Catwoman; all things that made him grateful his Barbara was safe and sound at home. That she would never be running rooftops as a vigilante.

Although, there had never been any real proof of Catwoman's crimes it was known in criminal circles and GCPD that certain jobs were done by her. No one had ever been physically hurt by her that he was aware of and he was pretty sure that everyone, or thing, she stole from deserved it in some way. Almost a Robin Hood theme but that would be Star City's guy, he grinned to himself. Still he'd heard rumours of donations within days or weeks of a big heist. Even if she was a good bad guy they had been trying to catch her for years.

He could still remember the conversation with Batman that changed things.

"About Catwoman, Jim."

Jim looked curiously at the dark imposing figure on the roof with him. "Have you found some evidence against her?"

"Not exactly." The Batman's lip twitched. "You won't need to be worried about any crimes related to her any longer. She'll be working with me and Robin from now on."

"She's working for you?" Jim was sincerely shocked. He'd heard the rumours surrounding the two, had even caught a glimpse of them on a rooftop once.

"For me?" Jim heard a sound he didn't know the Dark Knight could make – a chuckle. No one would ever believe him. "Catwoman doesn't work for anyone." Jim swore he heard him mutter under his breath. "Damn woman couldn't take an order if her life depended on it."

"Jim." Batman's voice jerked Jim back to the present. He eyed the vigilante carefully. How did the man always sneak up on him? Did he sound better, though, less gruff? Laughter rang out through the air and Jim spun around to look at the roof top next to them.

Robin flipped onto the ledge of the roof and walked along it in a handstand. Standing next to him watching with a smile was a woman clad in black and grey Kevlar and armour. A utility belt encircled her waist and a whip hung from it. Long black hair spilled from the back of a cowl tipped with cat ears.

Jim felt relief rush through him. She was alive and whole and well. Back to defend the city apparently as well. He was grateful for that. He'd discovered that Gotham needed her as it did Batman and Robin. Whatever her relationship was to them, he knew she couldn't be Robin's mother; she had still been willing give up her life without thinking to protect the boy. His Barbara's own mother hadn't even been willing to stay. Catwoman looked over and waved at him. He waved back.

"Jim." Batman's voice held a trace of amusement this time.

He turned slowly back to Batman. "We weren't sure. We thought it likely she lived or you would have been worse but with no Robin either….." His voice trailed off and he shrugged.

Batman stayed silent for so long Jim was sure he wouldn't answer. When he finally did he spoke softly. "It was close, too close. I tried to make them both stop, to stay home. I was outvoted."

The Batcave was a democracy? He wondered who was more surprised to learn that – him or Batman?


End file.
